Towelhead (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 7

The subject of Towelhead - a thirteen year-old's budding sexuality - is difficult to stomach, so this one's a toughie. I'm such a fan of Alan Ball's writing I'd rather see him using his own material rather than adapting a novel. Mr. Ball attended the screening and I think I liked the film more after hearing him explain why the story appealed to him, which in a nutshell is the complexity of its characters. That's Ball's specialty.

Visioneers (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 6.5

Takes place in the not-very-distant future and has some silly, fun moments as well as some wonderful performances (including a few local Almost Live alumni). I think with a little practice and guidance these filmmakers, who are brothers, could do very well.

The 27 Club (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 5

The premise claims to explore why so many famous people die at the age of 27, but it doesn't. It's just a mediocre road movie about grief after a suicide. The director is a cinematographer so the visuals were nice. Boring, though.

The Wackness (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 9

The Wackness is dope! When it comes out, see it.

Frozen River (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 8

A terrific story about two underprivileged women involved in human smuggling.

The End (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 5

This documentarian has unusual access to members of the London criminal underground since her father is a member. It would have worked well as a short but there didn't seem to be enough material for a feature-length film.

Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 6.5

A documentary about an English school for emotionally disturbed children. The teachers outnumber the students by several to one and there are many instances in the film where it takes 3 staff members to restrain a student. The staff seem saintly in their ability to stay completely calm in the face of a cursing, spitting, violent child. Being a teacher for normal children would be difficult enough, but the teachers in this film seem to have a near impossible amount of patience. If the film delved more into the backgrounds of its subjects or explained the criteria they use to admit students it would have given some context that was lacking.

Choke (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 5

Probably a better book than a movie.

Be Like Others (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 7

Since homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran but having a sex-change operation is totally legal, what ends up happening is that non-transgendered gay people end up having sexual reassignment surgery to avoid persecution. This documentary follows a few of these tragic souls.

Sparrow (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 7

Due to a SIFF scheduling change, we ended up seeing this by accident instead of a Josh Hartnett thriller. Turned out to be quite good, particularly the cinematography and music. The story, about a group of Hong Kong pickpockets who meet a beautiful seductress, is OK. The director, Johnny To, seems to have quite a following in the film fest crowd.

Song Sung Blue (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 6.5

Documentary about a celebrity impersonator couple who seem to have a dark cloud hovering over them. A little disturbing, in an Edward Albee kind of way.

Savage Grace (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 6

Julianne Moore is a brave mofo. Or I should say, sofo? It will make sense when you see the movie.

That is all.

Encounters at the End of the World (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 9

Werner Herzog's latest documentary, about Antarctica and its strangeness, is magical.

Crossbow (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 9

Film festival shorts packages always require sitting through a bunch of films that range from boring to bad, but I keep going because there's invariably a gem hidden in there somewhere. Some of the best films I've ever seen have been shorts, though it takes a little work to find them. It's worth it because chances are, you'll never get a chance again outside film festivals. Jeebus willing, the internet will change this.

This year's short gem is a 14-minute Aussie film called Crossbow, about a neglected teenager. The director is David Michod. I'm keeping my eye on him. Absolutely brilliant.

American Teen (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 9

This excellent documentary follows four midwestern teens every day for an entire school year. Unlike reality television, American Teen actually seems pretty true, and will make you very thankful to be done with high school.

Kiss The Bride (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 2

The poster says it all.

Transsiberian (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 8.5

This thriller is icy cold, and not just because of its frigid locale. Very gripping. I recommend it.

The Fall (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 8.5

I'm glad to see that that Tarsem, the director of the disappointing Jennifer Lopez movie The Cell, is finally able to put his imagination to good use. But though the art direction is breathtaking, the most remarkable thing in The Fall is its main character, a little girl named Alexandra (Cantica Untaru.) It's the most realistic and charming portrayal of a child I've seen in a film in ages. Maybe ever. In your face, Dakota Fanning!

I also hope this film will finally make Lee Pace, the main adult in the film, a household name.

Opium: Diary of a Madwoman (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 3

It takes place in an early 20th Century madhouse in Hungary and has plenty of explicit sex and opiate addiction. Sounds like it would be interesting, huh? Nope.

Heavy Metal in Baghdad (SIFF 2008)

Rating: 9

Acrassicauda is Iraq's only heavy metal band. If they grow their hair out for proper headbanging, they risk death. Their fans put themselves in harm's way just to attend a gig. The movie is about war and artistic expression and many other things, like the plight of Iraqi refugees and the fact that they're routinely denied visas to the states or Europe. I learned from their blog that because of the visa situation they have been unable to attend any of the screenings of the movie, which is gaining a reputation at major film festivals such as Seattle, Toronto and Berlin. I hope attention to the film will allow its subjects to escape from their desperate situation. The movie's terrific, and so is the band.